05/04/2026

Samuel Clifford

The Mayon Volcano in the Philippines has been erupting since January and on Monday, May 4, PHIVOLCS’ reported that the Mayon Volcano is still actively erupting, and that the activity remains dangerous. Late Monday night, their monitoring cameras captured fresh lava flowing down the Mi‑isi Gully, followed by part of the lava front collapsing, an event that can trigger fast‑moving pyroclastic density currents. They also noted that this “effusive eruption” has been going on for 120 straight days, meaning the volcano is steadily releasing lava, rockfalls, and hot gas rather than producing one big explosive eruption. Because of this continued unrest, Mayon remains at Alert Level 3, which signals a high level of volcanic activity with the potential to escalate. PHIVOLCS emphasized that no one should enter the 6‑km Permanent Danger Zone, since hazards like lava flows, rockfalls, and pyroclastic currents can occur suddenly and are often deadly. 

A very large amount of ash and debris came from Mayon Volcano after a pyroclastic flow, a fast, extremely hot mixture of ash, gas, and volcanic rocks, rushed down its southwestern slope. This wasn’t caused by a big explosion but by the collapse of thick lava deposits that had been slowly building up during months of mild, ongoing eruptions. When those deposits gave way, they produced an avalanche‑like flow that spread ash over more than 120 villages, reducing visibility and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

In total, nearly 200,000 people across Albay province were affected, and over 5,000 residents had to move to temporary shelters. Even though no injuries were reported, the event was dangerous because pyroclastic flows can reach temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius and travel at high speeds, making them one of the deadliest volcanic hazards. The ashfall also created respiratory risks and disrupted daily life for communities surrounding the volcano.

Sources

“PHIVOLCS: Lava Flow, Mi-isi Gully Collapse Observed at Mayon Volcano.” GMA News Online, GMA Network, https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/986405/phivolcs-lava-flow-mi-isi-gully-collapse-mayon-volcano/story/.

“Residents Flee Giant Ash Cloud after Mayon Volcano Erupts in the Philippines.” AccuWeather, https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/residents-flee-giant-ash-cloud-after-mayon-volcano-erupts-in-the-philippines/1887879.

“Nearly 200,000 People Affected by Ash from Mayon Volcano in the Philippines, over 5,000 Evacuated.” Ukrainian National News (UNN), https://unn.ua/en/news/nearly-200000-people-affected-by-ash-from-mayon-volcano-in-the-philippines-over-5000-evacuated.

Gomez, Jim. “Mayon Volcano Spews Ash in the Philippines, Affecting Nearly 200,000 People.” AP News, Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/mayon-volcano-philippines-albay-province-ae152c7f9bd208273cafea80cee9d33d.